No-Nonsense Customer Service

Let’s face it, does any company promote they are going to give you bad service? Of course not.

To the contrary, every business uses service as a point of differentiation or a flat-out excuse to charge more money.

I find it comical that, while everyone is promising this so-called “white glove” or “concierge-style” service, we generally receive something far different and are content to shrug our collective shoulders and say “well that’s just the way it is.”

I was an invited speaker there to share my views on the intersection of sales and customer service.

I was really excited as there were hundreds of companies in attendance to receive wisdom from the dozen or so speakers. Little did I know that it would be me that had the biggest takeaways.

The event is put on by my friend John DiJulius, Founder of The DiJulius Group, The Authority on World Class Customer Service.

The event was fantastic! My presentation along with all the others provided great value, although, the customer service that Michelle and I received was what proved to be the game changer.

Imagine that a company that puts on an entire conference about customer service actually living the brand and showing everyone there how it could and should be done.

Here’s the story;

As a speaker, I had been treated very well; my trip accommodations, opening night reception, etc., all the things you might expect were fine.

It was when I first arrived at the event the following morning that things started to get interesting.

I was greeted by a “Table Concierge” who made it very clear that she was there to make sure whatever we wanted or needed, I should be assured, she would get it.

I then, jokingly, asked for her for the winning lottery numbers, which she then promptly returned with the numbers from the day before. She took me literally and I then realized we weren’t in Kansas anymore.

What happened next was the most incredible customer service I have ever witnessed.

As the day was closing, after I had given my two keynote presentations, we were approached by the Chief Coordinator of the event to inform us about the transportation plans for that evening’s dinner.

When we were told about the bus pick up, Michelle then asked about some buses we had seen the night before.

“Oh, those are for Guns n’ Roses who is playing at Quicken Arena” Nicole said.

Sensing Michelle’s excitement, she quickly asked if she wanted to go?

Michelle embarrassingly said well, yes, although, (knowing I wouldn’t want to go), I don’t want to go by myself.

She shrugged it off and we then went back to the room to rest and prepare for the evening.

Phone rings and the voice on the other end says, “You are all set to go to the show. We have asked one of the other guests at your table if she wanted to join you and she agreed.”

WOW! WOW! WOW!

Michelle goes to the concert, sits 5 rows from the stage, has the time of her life, and leaves us both astonished at this high level of personal service.

Moral of the story and the big takeaway – great customer service is about delivering what the customer wants and not what you or your business has decided to offer.

Seems so simple, it’s hard to understand why so many businesses don’t get it.

Remember this the next time a store says, “so sorry we are closed (or not open)” or “sorry no substitutions”…etc.